The Wilmingtonian., 1887-01-08
The Governors Message.

| vancement in our common school system"
| Now, let us call spade spade. That is
to say, the truth about Delaware is that she
| il actually far behfhd other States in hel
common school system, as regards Normal
| schools (of which she has none) Of Teachers
Institutes, of which she has as yet greal
teal to learn, and Of Manual Traninp
chools of which she has not even commence
sd to apprehend the meaning of. No, Della
ware has no valid reason for a flare Of tlum-
is over any positive advance ID the educa-
onal way, were she compared with hel Sir
ter States.
| The Governor is respectfully asked to look
| 1t the II ,ndicraft, Normal aud Agricultural
schools (maintained BY Slate .Government)
| Massachusetts,, the Caroiuas in Other
| southern States and almost all the central
| ,ud Western fPac fic) States. Delaware
o stir.or move--Delaware has not retrogra-
ID But retrogressiou is not advancement,
nor progress
| Delaware can be congratulated upon the
| TACT of her sovency-nearly half million
| co her credit after all debts have been paid
! Ii this be so why does no. the Governor sug-
| .est reduction in taxation. II the State does
not need SO much money why tax the peo-
| pie to keep up the large surplus.
Upon the important question of Reform
| ,r as Governor Stockley calls it Constilu-
| .ioDal Amendment he does not speak ar
| learly or consistently as might be hoped.
| Governor. elect Biggs during tho iecent cam
paign was not ambiguous but distinctly ell
| lorsed Constitutional Reform.
The Governor says SIT is Of the fir i'm
the organic law Of the State are Of such
character as t. justify the calling Of a Col
vention.''
| From the above it may be fairly judged
| that the Governor has not made up his mind
lpon that point. Well, lie is old enough III
| years, and mature enough in Delaware poll
TICS to have formed some opinion upon the
matter. A large maj j,rity of his fellow citi-
zens OF this State have formed and develop
Il very definite opinion through the course
IF the last decade or two. Both Republi
cans and Democrats commonly believe the
lime for the consideration Of the question, al
east, is ripe i.-&.-s.
I Governor Stockley goes on to state thai
he organic law has served well for fifty
years. But it must be remembered that dit
rrent attempts have been made meanwhile
for regular, formal notifications and changes
these proceeding from official political con
yen'ions during campaign meetings, and
through Individual effort, as in the case OF
he Hon. George Bates, who essayed Reform
the Legislature within the present d, cade
No, tile call for Reform is no sudden ebul.
ition. 1t is born of a sound development OF
years of test and question, at length devel-
ped into dissatist action with the ''organic
law"
The Governors suggestion as regards rati-
ticatlon, of changing to two-thirds from
three-fourths of each branch of the lcgisla-
ture, is good one as the present status is
almost prohibitive of even conservative pro-
gress. This is all the more apparent be-
cause as the Governor adds, two Legisla.
lures are required to pass upon an amend
ment. .-....-
But the Governor swings around again,
grows cool upon the Reform idea and says'il
q doubtless true that many of the advocates
prominent and thoughtful citizens-ior a
State Convention, contemplate only few
: changes but honestly believe at this time
amid the many dangerous questions floating
, tiou, would, when once the way we're open
ed, expose our little Stats to great dangers.
With all due respect to Governor Stock
ley's expression whether inspired or not,
this is all namby- pamby, old-womanish talk
Dangers will always exist in the tmorou
q mind. But he should put more confidence
10 and show more consideration for the pub
lie mind and its appreciation for law, order
i aud American institutions. Delaware nov
belongs to the Nineteenth Century. Tn
: majority Of its citizens are intelligent Law
! abiding mn fully cognizlnt of the blessing
:. of Constitutional liberty. They are full
II capable, at least, as much so as they wei
d half century ago of determining, independ
i ent of Governor Stocklcy's patriarehal, an
: doubtless kindly meant restraint, what re
,r forms are needed in the organic law of tn
is State, to intelligently demonstrate the d,
= fects which are ''as plain as mud, " and safe
ly and intellgeptly to compass suitabl
change-all these without fear of Nihilisn
Socialism, Anarchy, or any of the other bl
. gies which probably have disturbed our Q,
Ii 4.